TONY MOWBRAY admits Abdoullah Ba currently finds himself in a difficult situation where he is battling with Amad Diallo for a place in Sunderland’s starting team.

Ba made his third Championship start in last week’s 3-0 win at QPR, but was then back on the substitutes’ bench as the Black Cats returned to action against Bristol City at the weekend.

The 19-year-old has played in a number of different midfield roles this season, occasionally sitting back in a defensive central-midfield position, but more often pushing forward into more of a ‘number ten’ role behind the central striker.

Mowbray sees the Frenchman’s attacking ball-carrying skills as his primary asset, but accepts that puts him into competition with Amad for a place in Sunderland’s starting side. Given Amad’s abilities, and development over the course of his season-long loan from Manchester United, it is hardly a surprise that he tends to be the player who gets the nod to start.

“I think Abdoullah is an attacking player, really,” said Mowbray. “He wants to dribble with the ball and carry it forward.

“With the way we’re playing at the moment, he’s really competing with Amad to try to play in the team, and unfortunately for him, Amad is a pretty special player.

“Abdoullah wants to play, and we’ve had some conversations, but we’re trying to win some football matches as well as develop players.”

Most of Ba’s involvement as a Sunderland player has come off the bench, and along with the likes of Edouard Michut, Jewison Bennette and Pierre Ekwah, Mowbray has been delighted with the way in which the youngster has impacted matches as a replacement.

“Generally, I make substitutions because these young players need to feel the atmosphere,” he said. “They need to feel it. If we keep collapsing and conceding late goals as we make substitutions, then I’ll be rethinking it, but at the moment, that’s not the case.

“These young lads come on and do a pretty solid job. I have to get the confidence to start them a bit more, but if they get dropped back out, like Abdoullah, who played against QPR but then dropped back out, it’s because I’m looking at the games and seeing which ones will benefit and develop them, but then also being mindful of not hurting the team.”